teacher's pet...i wanna be teacher's pet

back to school for students means picking out your first day’s outfit, getting your trapper- keeper in order and finding out which of your friends are in your class.  but for teachers it means the grueling task of organizing, decorating and cleaning the classroom to prep for a year of learning.

lucky for us we have a great arsenal of “teachers against dirty” who choose to clean their classroom with method products.  here is a profile of this year’s “teacher against dirty” susan n., her words are in italics.

where do you teach?

i teach in st. charles, missouri at barnwell middle school, 6th grade science.

why do you use method to clean your classroom?

i like to use method products in my classroom because; i know the surfaces will be clean,the aroma is pleasant and i do not worry about the ingredients - i would not use a bleach-based product or anything with harsh chemicals (you never know who is sensitive). and i don't worry about harmful contaminants polluting my kids' immediate environment.

what method products do you use?

i use method all purpose spray on my student desks at least once a week (i teach science so some days are messier than others). i also use method dish washing soap to soak dishes in the sink in my classroom.

what is the dirtiest thing that has happened in your classroom?

unfortunately one time the sewer backup in one of the sink! yuck. thanks to duct tape and plastic wrap, we made it through the day.

thanks susan! at method we are big fans of what you do and are glad that our products are helping make your job a little easier.

thanks for doing a back to school piece! i hope this encourages more teachers to bring "people against dirty" into the classroom.

take a seat, save a state park

 

it’s that special day of the year again…park(ing) day!  in case you don’t remember, we created a park(ing) space last year that doubled as a mini golf course.  we are at it again this year, taking over the exact same spot in san francisco (on front + sacramento), just a few blocks from our office.

this year’s theme is save california state parks. due to california budget cuts, 100 state parks are in danger of closing. in the theme of the japanese wishing tree, we are asking people to  choose a state park that is important to them and fill out a “leaf” that is a letter to their state senators asking for those  parks to stay open. we will then mail these leaves to the senators, encouraging them to keep the parks open.

huge thanks to the folks at re-bar, the art and design collective, who started this movement. if you’re in san francisco, be sure to stop by!

 

 

efforts in reducing climate change

Clearly we love penguins – we just launched our penguin-inspired bottle design. And we love homes. So what about penguins’ homes? Antarctica is where a lot of them live, and due to global warming its ice sheets are melting fast. We sure wouldn’t want our home to melt, so we’re taking steps to minimize our impact on the climate.

With global warming as one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced, we believe businesses have a role to play in finding solutions. We at method are keen to be leaders in showing that a low-carbon business can be a successful business. Here’s what we’re doing:

• We offset all the carbon emitted by the work travel and daily commute of all our employees, as well as for the energy used by our offices and to make our products.
• We work with our suppliers and factories to help identify the most energy efficient ways to produce our products.
• We design products that take less energy to make, ship and use - for example concentrated laundry detergent and bottles made from recycled plastic.

But that's not all. You can make an impact too. There is a wealth of great tips to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are some of our faves: 

• Eat more veggies. Meat takes over 10 times the carbon to produce one serving than veggies do. One pound of beef produces 12 pounds of carbon.
• Ride a bike or take public transit. Cars are among the biggest producers of carbon in the US, so try leaving it in the driveway more often. 
• Better insulation for your home. This is an easy one: save money on heating and AC bills, and reduce your footprint by updating your insulation.
  

To check out some more tips on what you can do to help reduce climate change, visit the EPA website to learn more. 

green with pride

This past weekend, our very own Sarah + Gillea (who are part of our Brand Communications team) went out to LA to attend the LA Pride event. Check out the story they came back with.

West Hollywood - June 13-14. LA Pride. More specifically Green with Pride. Most importantly, we were on the scene. 

Let’s start at the beginning.  First, our flight from SFO to LAX was delayed an hour; then we missed our exit on the 405. Tired and weary, we arrived at the hotel only to hear words no traveler wants to hear: Your credit card has been declined. After some smooth-talking, we got ourselves a room, had a delicious dinner on Melrose, and rested up for the weekend ahead.
 
Saturday morning dawned overcast and cold, but we were determined to have a great day, even when it started to rain. Even when we arrived at the festival and were told we couldn’t get in without a ticket stub. Excuse me! What ticket stub? Now some might've given up hope at this point but not us method girls. The more potholes we hit, the harder we press the accelerator. MacGyver is our company’s inspiration, after all.

The crowd started rolling in around noon, and to say the fun followed would be an understatement. Think buzz, energy, celebration, pride, and green. We passed out samples and coupons, offering hand sanitizer to those in need. We spoke to non-method users and those who had been faithful fans since the beginning. We danced and sang with passers-by. We learned about other green companies, such as Clear2O, Reuseniks, Caterpillars Candles, Environmental Solar Design and U.S Green Building Council. The weekend was a total success. Not only did we have a ton of fun, but we spread the word - the method word - to over 100,000 Pride attendees. Can’t wait to do it again in San Diego, July 19th. Come check us out there – a good time is guaranteed!

To learn more about LA Pride, visit www.lapride.org. LA Pride is a festival and parade that celebrates the LGBT community. In addition to lively dance pavilions, the festival grounds boast food, drink, socialization, community programming and unique exhibitors, all hosting a diverse spectrum of activities to entice the entire LGBT family. The LA PRIDE Festival offers an opportunity for all who gather and be celebrated, entertained, educated and encouraged in finding new ways of generating Pride.

get green for free with danny seo

Perhaps one of the biggest complaints I get from people about "going green," is that being eco-friendly can cost more. And especially in tougher economic times, it can sometimes be hard to justify paying more money for green products when less cash is coming in. 

This month, I launched SimplyGreen.com, a sorta quiet, not-to-be-over-hyped website where I'm blogging about saving money on eco-friendly products all the while GIVING away my favorite picks. It's part of my work with JCPenney and their designation program also called Simply Green. Every couple of days, I'm giving cool things away like reusable tote bags, gift cards, organic bedding and even a $2,000 eco-friendly mattress. All you have to do is visit, leave a nice comment and you're eligible to win. 

So, anyone who thinks going green costs too much... how's free for ya?

- Danny Seo

summer back yard tips from danny seo

Our co-conspirator, Danny Seo, is always hot on great eco-tips. Check out this video to see what new tips Danny has for environmental ways of getting rid of mosquitos and entertaining with style.

Summer tips with Danny Seo from People Against Dirty on Vimeo.

win our entire line of products with Chronicle Books

Been over to Chronicle Books lately? They have a new series of books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal called "Little Books" including one we're head over heels for called "Little Oink." We're voting Little Oink for best pig around because he hates dirt and loves to clean. You might say he's a pig after our own heart.

To help celebrate Little Oink, Chronicle Books is throwing a contest where one of the prizes is our entire line of products for free - whoa. If you're interested in entering, be sure to check out http://www.chroniclebooks.com/littlebooks/. Contest ends September 30, 2009.

Are You Unknowingly Wasting Electricity?

Danny Seo, our favorite eco-guru, as always has great ideas to share when it comes to saving energy. Check out one of his tips below and be on your way to break your bad un-eco habits.

BAD HABIT #1: Wasting Electricity

The US Department of Energy says that in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. That means that only a quarter of the energy used to power electronics is actually spent doing its job - powering up the device. The other 75% gets simply wasted. Use the easy tips below to help save electricity without really trying.

- Plug all your major appliances (TV, DVD player, stereo) into a surge protector. Even when these electronics are turned off, they are still using electricity and wasting you money. To stop the flow of electricity completely, turn off the surge protector to cut off all electricity. Just one quick switch is all it takes to completely power off your big electronics.

- People commonly leave their cell phone and MP3 player chargers plugged into the wall even when not in use. Be sure to unplug them since they still charge up even when not in use.

Parabens: dirty ingredient #1

Parabens are one of several ‘boogie man’ ingredients found in cosmetics and personal care products – ingredients that cause alarm, but that often aren’t very well understood. We don’t use parabens in any of our products, and here’s why.

First off, the science lesson:
Parabens are a class of preservatives (meaning they stop bacteria from growing), commonly used in cosmetics and other personal care products like shampoos, body washes and liquid soaps. While they’re cheap and effective, there have been a few concerns about the health effects of using them.

First of all, and most frequently cited, is the possible link between parabens and breast cancer. A 2004 study found concentrations of intact parabens in human breast cancer tissue samples. Even though these concentrations were very low, it showed that parabens were entering the human body and accumulating in cancer tissue. The study did not show that the parabens caused the tumors, just that they were accumulating in them – a smoking gun, but not proof.

The second concern about parabens is their ability to mimic estrogen in the body, also known as endocrine disruption. Even though the effects aren’t fully understood yet, they could also pose a health risk or even be related to the cancer concerns above.

Method’s approach in creating products is to play it safe, use the precautionary principle and avoid using suspicious materials (like parabens) in our products - period. Unless we can conclude that an ingredient will not be a threat to human health (or to the environment), we won’t use it. In the case of parabens, this means that we use alternative preservatives and steer clear of the risk.

Stop drafts from leaking in this Fall

Danny Seo, eco-guru extraordinaire, is full of great ideas especially when it comes to going green. Check out one of his clever tips below on going green this fall.

Going green this Fall isn't just good for Mother Earth, it can help save you money, too. Give the tip below a try and let us know what you think.

BE A DRAFT DODGER.

Winter Warm-Up Week: Keep the blustery cold air outdoors by stopping drafts at windows and doors. Place a draft dodger (a long fabric tube) along the edges where cold seeps inside to stop it in its tracks; you can find them at www.gaiam.com or stores like Bed Bath & Beyond. The draft dodger helps to keep your house warmer without turning up the heat which is both costly for the environment and your wallet.

For smaller windows, you can make your own dodger. Just fill a large sock (like an athletic sock) with pebbles, tie a a knot at the end, and place.